Caroline Kennedy and her aides are more to blame than Gov. David Paterson and his team for the
controversy surrounding her failed bid for New York's U.S. Senate seat, voters say 49 - 15
percent in a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Another 12 percent blame both camps,
while 24 percent are undecided.

By a 25 - 10 percent margin, New York State voters have a favorable opinion of
Gillibrand, but 63 percent say they don't know enough about her to make a decision. Her
favorability upstate is 34 - 8 percent with 58 percent who don't know enough about her to
decide.

"Blame for dithering over the choice of a U.S. Senator falls mostly on Caroline Kennedy.
But there's an inside-baseball element in this - a lot of New Yorkers say they simply don't know
who's at fault," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"Kirsten who? Senator-to-be Kirsten Gillibrand is smart to instantly do let's-get-
acquainted visits with black and Hispanic leaders. New Yorkers aren't unfriendly, but two-thirds
of them don't know much about her.

"And as expected, the new Senator is more popular upstate than downstate."

While more New York State voters approve of Paterson's selection of Gillibrand, they
split on their judgment of how he selected a new Senator, with 44 percent approving and 42
percent disapproving. Republicans approve 52 - 39 percent, while Democrats split 42 - 43
percent.

Paterson's overall approval stands at 50 - 30 percent, down from 53 - 25 percent in a
January 15 Quinnipiac University poll. Paterson's approval among Republican voters is up, from
41 - 38 percent to 45 - 39 percent, while approval among Democrats is down from 62 - 18
percent to 54 - 24 percent.

"New Yorkers give Paterson a split decision on how he handled the Senate selection,
despite the critical news coverage. He hurt himself among Democrats, while Republicans are
liking him a little better these days," Carroll said.

Because of Gillibrand's pro-gun position and her backing by the National Rifle Assn., 36
percent of New York State voter, including 50 percent of Democrats, are less likely to vote for her
when she runs for election next year, while 17 percent are more likely to vote for her. Another 41
percent say this doesn't make a difference.

"In the Congressional district she's represented, NRA support is a plus. Not state-wide,"
Carroll said.

From January 23 - 25, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,047 New York State registered
voters, with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and
nationwide as a public service and for research.

1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way David Paterson is handling his job
as Governor?

7. Does the fact that Kirsten Gillibrand is against gun control and that she is
supported by the National Rifle Association make you more likely to vote for her
for senator in 2010, less likely to vote for her, or doesn't it make a difference?